Many of the best sites in the city have free entry, including Parliament House, which opens at 9 am on sitting and non-sitting days.

The National Arboretum on the western end of Lake Burley Griffin features 94 forests of rare, endangered and symbolic trees. Many are still young but two of the forests are nearly 100 years old. Check it out from 9 am daily.

At the foot of Black Mountains, and about a 30-minute walk from the city, is the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The gardens maintain a scientific collection of native plants from all parts of Australia.

Markets at the Old Bus Depot in Kingston on Sundays focus on talented local and regional designers and craftspeople who show and sell their unique handcrafted wares. While you’re there, pop into the nearby Canberra Glassworks, which provides access to glassmaking facilities for glass artists, holds glass exhibitions and also features a store where you can pick up a uniquely Canberran souvenir.

A stroll along Anzac Parade will take you past 10 memorials, including one for Vietnam, one for the Rats of Tobruk and the Australian Service Nurses Memorial.

Mount Stromlo Observatory, meanwhile, is the headquarters of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. About 18km southwest of the city, it’s open to the public daily from 8 am to 6 pm.

The Cotter Avenue Recreation Area, below the Cotter Dam wall, is a picturesque retreat with barbecues and swings and grassy areas for picnics 23km from the city centre. There are short walking tracks to the dam.

Abode Hotels is the perfect place to stay when visiting the capital. With five hotels, located conveniently in town centre locations, Abode Hotels has the Canberra region covered. Book your stay with us below.

A home away from home to its local community, Barrio Collective in Braddon’s Ori Building is all about providing a welcoming place and serving interesting coffee and seasonal local produce.

Like the traditional and contemporary coffee brews on the tailored menu, Barrio Collective’s food is defined by simplicity and quality. The menu also goes one step further by finding new ways to pair food and drink and incorporating imported specialty foods from time to time.

Rather than your regular cup, try the seasonal coffee on the menu with the un-homogenised milk that is sourced from a south coast dairy, or cool down with a cold brew cacao stubby. Local treats on the menu include Snowy Mountains trout with pickles and crème fraiche and the Pialligo bacon and Bodalla cheddar toastie. Among the international treats are Bocarte anchovies with sourdough, paprika and lemon and Bellota 24-month jamon.

After five, the new extended opening hours and wine and drinks menu transform this little coffee place into a bar every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Formed by a close group of mates in love with Canberra, coast, beer and good vibes, and a hundred percent employee-owned and dog and kid-friendly, Capital Brewing Company is one of our city’s more innovative chill spots.

Serving brews with names like Coast Ale, Trail Pail Ale, Evil (Red) Eye and First Tracks Stout, the Fyshwick brewery and tap room also offers a shady courtyard and a cubby house for the kids.

Pair your choice of beer with a famous burger or hot dog from the resident Brod food truck for a pub-grub match made in heaven and, if you’re in Canberra on a Saturday or Sunday, book a tour of the brewery.

Part of the relatively new Dairy Road warehouse-style district, Capital Brewing Co. also hosts events and shares the neighbourhood with BlocHaus Bouldering rock climbing gym and the Vertikal Snowsports’ indoor ski slope, which is coming soon. Move over Braddon and New Acton!

If you fancy casting your eyes over the original Waltzing Matilda manuscript, Ben Chifley’s hand-annotated speech announcing the end of World War II, or Captain James Cook’s Endeavour journal, look no further than The National Library of Australia on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

Image Credit: Visit Canberra

The library holds the world’s greatest collection of material relating to Australia and its people, ranging from the earliest European works about the Great Southern Land to digitised historic and contemporary newspapers, photos and music recordings.

The life of writer and bush poet Henry Lawson is given depth and colour through items including his fobwatch and two of his pens, while detailed insights into Cook’s epic voyage are gleaned through his handwritten notes. The Endeavour journal, said to be the only one entirely written by the British explorer, is the library’s most famous acquisition and details Cook’s impressions of Tahiti, New Zealand and NSW between 1769-1770. The 753-page volume, bound in oak and pigskin, was bought by the Australian Government at a Sotheby’s sale in 1923 and entered on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2001.

Another incredible piece of history on display is a playbill dated 30 July 1796, the earliest surviving document printed in Australia. The playbill, advertising a performance at the Theatre, Sydney, was printed in Sydney by convict George Hughes, operator of Australia’s first printing press, which came out on the First Fleet.

The vast collections spread across this iconic institution include some of the most sought-after items of interest from around the world, including maps, rare books, manuscripts, photographs, oil paintings and watercolours.

Cook’s journal and the Waltzing Matilda manuscript, along with items such as Keith Murdoch’s Gallipoli Letter and a journal doomed explorers Wills and Burke kept in their final hours, are housed in the Treasures Gallery on the ground floor. Entry is free, and no booking is required.

Get there in time for the daily half-hour tours of the Treasures Gallery, starting at 11.30am.

In the library’s central foyer, visitors can enjoy the Australian Voices audio-visual presentation, compiled from the library’s extensive Oral History and Folklore Collection. The collection comprises about 45,000 hours of recordings, the earliest dating back to the 1950s when the tape recorder became available. More than 1000 hours of interviews, music and accents are added to the collection each year.

The library has been amassing Australian printed ephemera since the early 1960s as a record of Australian life and social customs, popular culture, national events, and issues of national concern. It also selectively collects ephemera from the Asia/Pacific region related to particular events or socio-political groups of significance.

Some of the newer materials include a major display about the 1967 referendum and the campaign for Indigenous rights, as well as a section dedicated to Australian women novelists of the early 20th century.

And of interest to those who want to find out a bit about their own history — and that of their home or neighbourhood — are the collections of street directories, council rates books and Title Office records. There’s also the unique Maps Collection. Better make a day of it…

Canberra is without a doubt one of the most family-friendly cities in Australia. With the summer school holidays just around the corner, coming up with activities to keep the kids entertained can be challenging, so we’ve rounded up a list of boredom busters to excite and inspire kids of all ages (There’s plenty of fun to be had for adults too).

Jet Flight Simulator A truly unforgettable flight in a replica Boeing 737-800 simulator. Choose from more than 22,000 airports around the world, and any weather conditions.

Royal Australian MintLearn the stories behind every Australian coin in your pocket or piggy bank. View fascinating historical coins, see robots make tomorrow’s coins and strike a coin yourself!

Corin Forest Experience the thrill of the Southern Hemisphere’s longest bobsled ride through the forest. Take a bush walk, and finish the day with a tasty woodfired pizza.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Kids will have a fun time at the Nature Discovery Playground that takes inspiration from the natural beauty, form and diversity of Tidbinbilla Valley.

Heading to Canberra with the kids this Summer? Our fully equipped, spacious family studio apartments boast flexible bedding arrangements make for a perfect night’s rest for the whole family. Book your stay here.

When it comes to retail therapy, there’s no greater feeling than shopping local. Christmas is but a few short weeks away, and if you’re one of those organised gift shoppers, we take our hat off to you. For those a little slower off the mark, we’ve gathered some uniquely Canberran gift ideas your friends and family are guaranteed to love.

F!NK DESIGN

Queanbeyan-based studio F!NK + Co has long been the creative hub for Robert Foster and his team of talented designers. Although Foster passed away late last year, his iconic designs live on through the celebrated brand.

F!NK products are designed by Australian artists and most of the manufacturing is done in-house just outside Canberra in the F!NK studio. Each object is individually handcrafted so no two pieces are exactly the same and they are often produced in small batches of just 20 to 100.

Since 1993, F!NK + Co has not only been a symbol of Foster’s legendary work, it has been a production house for up-and-coming young designers. While F!NK is essentially a range of jewellery and homewares, there is nothing homely about their wares. Foster always strived to challenge the notion that functional equals boring.

F!NK pieces can be found at a number of ACT retailers. In the collection there are necklaces, brooches, bracelets and brightly coloured kitchenware, including Foster’s signature F!NK Water Jug — a Canberra souvenir with a difference.

Anyone digging around the greater Canberra area for a local treasure should consider visiting the Bison flagship store in Pialligo on the rural edge of the capital. Founded in 1997 by Brian Tunks, Bison is inspired by the time he spent on archaeological digs in the Middle East and his love of Asian ceramics. The result is a pared-back aesthetic with simple lines and pure colours that characterises Bison design classics.

Fast forward two decades and Bison has evolved from just ceramics to become bisonhome, a lifestyle range with ceramics at its heart. Bisonhome collaborates with studios in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and India, but all pieces are designed by Brian himself in Canberra. From ceramic vases, jugs and an array of finely crafted tableware to a range of glassware, there is plenty to unearth here.

More than just a place to buy beautiful souvenirs, Canberra Glassworks is a cultural centre of learning, dedicated to the mentoring of contemporary glass artists. The space is a working glassworks with facilities and equipments for artists.
As well as providing state-of-the-art tools, intensive workshops taught by leading glass artists, studios and mentorship programs, the centre is a place for visitors to explore the specialised craft and learn about glassmaking. They can meet artists, see glassmaking in action, view exhibitions, take tours and have a hands-on experience with glass.

The Canberra Glassworks shop offers a range of uniquely crafted pieces, jewellery, tableware, vases and objects d’art from a wide range of Australia’s leading glass artists.

If you were after a great gift to take home from Canberra, would wood do the trick? Bungendore Wood Works Gallery has been a landmark on the local arts and crafts scene since an opening exhibition in September 1983.

“Bungendore Wood Works Gallery provides a space where wood workers can display their works, where diversity is encouraged, and fine craftsmanship is essential.”
And the quote from the first show flyer still rings true 30 years later.

There are now works by more than 200 Australian designers at the award-winning gallery and visitors can pick up a genuine piece of local work, but it’s not all about wood. Other unique pieces include original paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glassware, jewellery, photography and textiles.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the Australian Alps, which straddle the NSW, Victoria and ACT borders, is full of surprises for visitors.

Just under 25 minutes’ drive from Abode Tuggeranong — or about 40km from Canberra’s centre — the reserve features spectacular exposed granite tors, foothill valleys and sheltered streams that are home to many native animals and plants.

You’ll spot wildlife including eastern grey kangaroos, echidnas, wallabies and emus in their natural habitat, and don’t forget to look up as you stroll through the eucalyptus forest to discover koalas in the leafy canopy. There’s also a sheltered enclosure where visitors can check out these iconic creatures up close and learn more about them during talks by rangers.

The Sanctuary at Tidbinbilla offers fabulous opportunities to experience a wetlands ecosystem surrounded by bushland and protected by a predator-proof fence, providing a safe refuge for many animals.

The monthly explorer program of ranger-guided activities is well worth investigating, with activities including koala walks, platypus talks and pelican feeding.

Tidbinbilla also offers booked activities such as water bugs, geo journey walks, cubby building, billy tea and damper experiences, plus the chance to learn about and have a go at throwing Aboriginal spears and boomerangs. If you want to go it alone, try the adventure obstacle course, a visit to the Historic Rock Valley Homestead or spend some time at the nature adventure playground which has a flying fox and other equipment the kids will love.

For families and friends, Tidbinbilla is an ideal location for a barbecue in designated areas, with plenty of parking, toilets and picnic tables.

Once you’ve got your energy levels up, set off on one of the 21 marked walking trails, ranging from 15-minute strolls to an eight-hour bush walk. Trails traverse the sanctuary wetlands, forested areas and cascading mountain streams through lyrebird country, or go high into the mountain ridges with spectacular views of the ACT. Take in the diverse vegetation — from woodlands and grasslands to sub-alpine snow gum and poa grassland — as you go.

Tidbinbilla also plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, with a range of research programs under way to help protect the flora and fauna of the area. A threatened species program focuses on the Northern Corroboree Frog, the Eastern Bettong and the Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby. You can see the corroboree frogs most days in the Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre, along with a number of other animals. It also has some lovely merchandise of these threatened species, with profits going towards their conservation.

For those who wish to immerse themselves fully in a nature experience, Tidbinbilla has accommodation on site at Nil Desperandum, a heritage-listed rammed-earth European homestead nestled in the mountains. The house has a wood stove and outside fire pit, rainwater tank, solar-powered lights and quality camp beds.

At the end of a long day exploring the natural wonders of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, you’ll love retiring to your home away from home at Abode Tuggeranong. With studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites available to accommodate groups, families and everything in between, these spacious and stylishly appointed rooms feature fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities so you can wash away the day and prepare yourself, and your gear, for the adventures to come. Book your stay at Abode Tuggeranong here.

Images: VisitCanberra

Spring has well and truly sprung and Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to gear up for cricket season.

Apart from Floriade and other great Spring and Summer events in Canberra, a fun day at cricket is one of the best activities to do with the whole family.

Abode Hotels are proud to support sport and the local community. This year we’re even more proud to help launch the Abode Hotels ACT Meteor’s season and their #Makeanimpact campaign.

The Abode Hotels ACT Meteors are one of the most dynamic teams in the Women’s National Cricket Team (WNCL) and they plan to make an impact both on and off the field.

“We’ve been working really hard on our skills, strength and fitness and now we’re about to step onto Manuka Oval. We’ve got such a great team culture, no one plays for themselves and it’s really enjoyable to be out on the field with your mates.” – Maitlan Brown, Abode Hotels ACT Meteors Fast Bowler.

Join Maitlan Brown and the rest of the Abode Hotels ACT Meteors in their season-opening home games.

“Having a crowd is great because it motivates you to bowl faster and harder, and it brings energy out on the field. We want to share that experience with Canberrans and we need you there with us,” – Maitlan Brown, Abode Hotels ACT Meteors Fast Bowler.

First game starts from 2:30 pm Friday, 6 October and the second at 10:00 am Sunday, 8 October. FREE ENTRY at Manuka Oval.

Our pet friendly hotels will accommodate everyone in style and give you the freedom to roam and explore amongst some of the most beautiful landscapes and attractions the nation’s capital has to offer. For a slice of four paw heaven, there is no holiday that will compare to the one you’ll have at Abode Hotels.

We want to make your stay with us the best it can be and most importantly comfortable for your four-legged friend.

Not only will your pet have access to an open court yard, he/ she will be spoilt with our welcome pack which includes a packet of Schmackos, two packets of wet pet food, dog/ cat toy and a water bowl.

Abode Narrabundah and Gungahlin are conveniently located amongst some of the greenest suburbs in Canberra, with plenty of great parks and walks to explore with your four-legged friend.

Our pet friendly hotels

*Pet friendly rooms are $40 additional per night and $200 per week for all the long stay bookings, guests must sign hotel guidelines upon check-in.